Government has with immediate effect suspended bus operators Rimbi Tours and Zebra Kiss following Tuesday fatal road traffic accident along Harare-Nyamapanda road which claimed one life.
The two buses were captured on a viral video racing against each before Rimbi bus rammed into a stationery tipper killing the conductor who was filming the incident.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona said the two companies Rimbi Travel and Tours and Tashltyt Investments will immediately cease to operate all routes pending corrective measures.
“Pursuant to the fatal accident, which has so far claimed one life and caused serious injury of many passengers, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and other actors in the ecosystem of road traffic management, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and emergency health services has established the component of human error, prohibited by Sections 51, 52 and 53 of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 73:11] as the principal cause of the accident. Sections 51, 52 and 53 of the Road Traffic Act prohibit driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for others, negligent or dangerous driving and reckless driving respectively, which violation is a breach of the terms and conditions of the two operators’ licenses issued for them to operate in Zimbabwe.
“Informed by the foregoing violations and verified video graphic circumstances, the Commissioner of Road Transport, after informing the two operators of his intention, and after the operators were given a reasonable opportunity to make representations on the matter in terms of Section 17 (2) of the Road Motor Transportation Act [Chapter 13:151, invoked provisions of Section 17 (1) (b) (i) of the same Act and suspended the licences of Rimbi Travel and Tours and Tashllyt Investments Trading as Zebra Kiss from operating all its omnibuses in all the routes as authorised by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.,” said Mhona.
He added “This suspension is with immediate effect pending corrective measures by the two operators to ensure that they are in a position to resume operations without breach of the terms and conditions under which their licenses are issued. Section 17 (1) (b) (I) of the Road Motor Transportation Act empowers the Commissioner of Road Transport to suspend the operator’s license where it appears that there is disregard of the terms and conditions of the licenses.”
He further warned transport operators that government will take stern action against those found violating road traffic rules and regulations.
“I wish to remind and warn all Transport Operators, Associations, motorists and members of the public that the Ministry will take stern measures provided by our laws against those who wantonly and blatantly violate road traffic rules and regulations,” added Mhona.
“We urge all road traffic law enforcement agencies to be on high alert to enforce the road traffic laws and ensure that operators with suspended and cancelled licenses do not ply our roads,” he said.
Mhona also urged traffic law enforcement agencies to be on high alert to ensure that operators with suspended and cancelled licenses do not ply our roads.
